Cable stranding machine



June 1954 c. o. BRUESTLE CABLE STRANDING MACHINE Filed May 2a, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 1954 c. o. BRUESTLE 2,631,544

CABLE STRANDING MACHINE Filed May 28, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 22, 1954 UNI T -E'D STATES l ss r o r r I es CABLE STR ANDING MACHINE Carl 0. Bruestle, Metuchen, N. .11., assignor to Syncro Machine Company, Perth Amboy, N. J

a corportitiliifofNw Jersey ApplicationMay 28; 1953, Serial No. 358,067"

6 Claims." -(01. 57-65) This invention relates to improvements in cable stranding machines oftheplanetary typeand is particularly concerned with a construction employing a tie bar cross connecting the side merm bersof the cradle framahaving associated there with'a safety device causing the machinetoshut down in the event the tie bar breaks or HRSCI'GWS:

In a construction'of this type a tiebar assem bly can be used in which one spool-pintle isfixedto one side frame member of a cradle and the other is constructed to allow axial 'sliding'mova ment. With such an arrangement a locking viceis providedto lock the sliding pint-1e against sliding movement when the spool iSiil place.

With such an arrangement there'is always the", chance that the locking device will fail or will not be setup tight enough so that the associated pintle-may undesirably move axially when machine is in operation. This represents a point ofpossible injury or damage and the purpose of this invention is to associatewith such a mech anisma control device which will shut the ma chine down in the event the tie bar-breaks or unscrews, thereby Tpermitting the sliding pintle" assembly-to move in the event the locking device fails or is not tight enough";

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure-l is a viewhhowing" one of the spool cradles in plan;

Figure 2 is aside elevationalview of the-spool bers It and |5,'at the'ends of the arms H and l2, which inturn are mounted on themainrotorshaft l!) for rotation therewith. As" shown in Figure l, thecradle it includes theside frame members-l6 and-ll in which aremounted the bearing members for rotatably supporting the strand spool fifliion itsaxis ofrotation. This general construction so far describedis common 1 to the stranding machines of thistype.

As illustrated in more detail in Figure'B, thecradles'ide frame members-"l6 and ll are-pro vided with a pair of aligned openings in which are mounted the anti-friction bearing "assemblies wand 23 respectively. These bearing assemblies are preferably of the opposedradial thrust-type as shown. These bearing assemblies will; therefore, all act by use of the tie rod 27 toabs'orb their share of the loading of the various positions of the cradles. is mounted in a flanged bushing ill which fits into a cylindrical opening in the frame member H; The bearing assembly l9 includes an outer:- cylindrical'race supporting member 29 and an inner cylindrical race supporting member 23." The member 26 is allowed axial movement in the bushing it without rotational movement by reaQ son of the cooperation of the threaded pin 62 and slot 22, theformer of which is threadedly which flange rests upon a seating surface in theframe member 66, as shown. The inner member: 1 25 is provided with a flange 25 intermediate its ends and a threaded lockingring 25 by means of which the anti-friction race members are locked in place; as shown. The inner member 25 has a central passage through it which is internally threaded, as shown at 29, to receive the threaded end of a tubular tie rod 2? which passes through a central passage in the member 2 l. The tubular tie rod 21 is provided with a wrench head 28.

Extending through a central passage inthe tie rod 21 is a bolt 3% which has on its inner end a contact piece 3! whichcan be mounted thereon in any suitable way, as by means of threads. A compression spring 32 lies between the contact piece Bland the end of a recess in the end ofthe tubular tie rod 27, so as to hold the headof the bolt 38 against the end of the tie member 22","

as shown in this figure;

Seated in the outer end of the bearing housingpassage in the frame member 15 is a cover plate 50 which is securedto the end of member 2 3 by meansof cap screws, as shown. This locksthe .assembly 25 in the side framemember it against" axial movement. Recessed ina central opening; in the cover plateiiil is acylindrical plug 33 hav ing a central passage therethrough. Slidably'" mounted in this passageis an insulating rod 34 on the end of 'which is a contact piece toco-op-"-' The bearin g assembly l9 crate with the contact piece 3i. Mounted on the insulating rod 34, by means of a cap screw 36, is a metallic contact 35 to which a circuit wire W is attached. A compression spring 48 is positioned so as to urge the contact piece on the rod St to the left, so as to tend to cause the contact washer 35 to engage the cylindrical plug which is or" metal as are all the other parts of this structure with the exception of the rod it. How ever, in a static condition the relative strength of spring 32 is such that rod 36 will be held in the position shown, thereby engaging the contact piece on the rod 34 to hold the contact disc 35 out of engagement with the other circuit terminal comprising the contact plug 33 against the resistance of the lighter spring it.

Mounted on the inner end of the member M is a conical spool supporting member 3t, which is secured to the member 2i by means of screws, as shown. In a similar way a conical spool supporting member 38 is secured on the inner end of the member 25. A type or" spool useful with a machine of this kind consists of a central core member is and a pair of circular heads all secured thereto.

Secured to the conical member 38 by means of screws, as shown, is a grooved wheel 6i which forms part or" a braking device commonly used in machines of this type, but forming no part or" this invention. A pin A2 is secured with the grooved wheel 4| in a position so as to project through an aperture in the adjacent spool head, as shown in Figure 3, so as to cause the spool to rotate with the assembly.

In order to lock the bearing assembly iii in operating position any suitable form of clamping mechanism can be used such as that, for example, shown in Figure 2. The frame member H is provided with a suitable chamber in which are mounted a pair of blocks 43 which are arranged to extend through slots in the bushing l8, so that they may be brought into contact with the outer member as of the bearing assembly. A bolt it having reversely threaded portions threadedly engages the upper and lower blocks t3. When the bolt id is drawn up tight the two gripping blocks 43 will be drawn towards each other, and thereby forced into firm contact with the outer housing member 26 of the bearing assembly l9.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, suitable sealing rings S will be used, as indicated in Figure 3.

In order to remove a spool from a cradle having the construction described above, it is necessary to remove the tubular tie rod 2']. This is accomplished by placing a wrench on the head 28 so as to disengage threads 29. The tie member El is then withdrawn and with it is removed the inner rod 353, the spring 32 and the contact piece 3i. The clamping blocks d3 are released, with the result that the bearing assembly is is unlocked and can then be slid axially by the co operation of the threaded pin 82 and slot construction 22. This causes the conical supporting member 3'? to move to the left, Figure 3, so that the spool can be removed and a new loaded spool can be seated at one end on the conical nose piece 33, thereupon the bearing assembly 19 can be pushed to the right to cause the conical nose piece 31 to engage the other end of the spool. As shown in Figure 3, the hollow core member of the spool is preferably provided with conical seats as shown, so as to mate with the conical nose pieces 3"! and 38 over a substantial area. The tubular tie rod 2? is then passed through the assembly and rotated to cause the threads 29 to engage and pull the bearing assembly l9 to the right until the spool is firmly seated on the nose pieces. The spool is rotationally positioned so that the aperture in the adjacent head can pass over the pin is in the grooved wheel ti. When the parts are drawn uptightly the bolt s4 is drawn up to cause the clamping members :33 to further lock the bearing assembly is against axial movement. It is, or" course, apparent that the tubular tie rod 27 contributes to this locking action, but it is important to lock the bearing assembly it to the frame by the clamping blocks 43.

With the parts thus assembled it will be seen that the circuit which would include the contact piece 35 and the frame of the machine is open. This circuit, not here shown, will be included in the main motor drive circuit or a control'cirouit therefor to provide stopping control in the event that due to breakage of rod 2? spring at can close the switch st-33. This condition can only occur in the event that while the machine is running the tubular tie rod 27 breaks for any reason. The switch will also close if the tie rod 23 works loose or the machine operates at an excessive speed.

From the above description it will be apparent that the tubular tie rod 2? provides a cross connection between the side frame members It and ll of spool cradle Hi. The result is that as the machine rotates that frame member of the pair l6 and ll which is taking the load at the moment, will be cross connected with the other frame member, so that the stresses which are present will not all be carried by one frame member, but will be divided substantially between the two frame members. This permits for a given speed of rotation of the machine of making the cradles of a lighter construction. To state it another way, this arrangement permits for any strength of cradle construction a higher speed of rotation.

At the same time the construction described permits of ease in mounting the loaded spools and removing them when they are empty. The arrangement is such that the spool can be accurately positioned and clearly locked against looseness and side slap, which is likely to occur in a machine of this type unless the spool is firmly seated. If for any reason the spool gets loose without breakage of the tubular tie rod El, that rod will make impossible the escape of the spool from the machine, which is obviously a hazardous and disastrous possibility.

For the sake of terminology it may be noted that the inner race supporting members 2| and 25 with their conical nose pieces 3? and 38 respectively, form rotatable spool supporting pintles. It will also be appreciated that the tie rod 2? in interconnecting the side frame members will preload them and place the tubular tie rod under tension. a

It will be noted from Figure 3 that in a construction of this type when the tie bar 21 is drawn up tight the hearings will not be preloaded. It is further apparent that when the slidable bearing assembly I9 is locked in the frame member H, the tie bar 2? becomes effective to distribute the loadings due to centrifugal force between the side frame members as previously suggested.

While applicant has disclosed a control switch for effecting shut down of the machine, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that other types of control devices may be used to accomplish a similar purpose. They are, therefore, considered to be within the scope of this invention.

From this description of one embodiment of the invention herein disclosed it is apparent that the main objects of this invention are easily accomplished as well as a number of subsidiary objects which those skilled in the art will appreciate from experience Since the details of construction of this invention are capable of wide variation, it is not mydesire to be limited to the embodiment selected for illustrative purposes, but prefer limitation only as required by the claims granted me.

What is claimed is: 1

1. In a cable stranding machine, a rotatable spool cradle having a pair of side members, a pair of rotatable spool supporting pintle assemblies, one fixed to one side member and the other slidably mounted the other side member, means for clamping the latter in said side frame member, a tubular tension bar interconnecting the pintle assemblies, and a control device lying in part in said tubular-j tension bar for initiating stoppage of the machine in the event the tension bar breaks or becomes loose.

2. In the combination of claim 1, said tension bar passing through, the slidable pintle assembly and being threadedly connected to the other pintle assembly.

3. In the combination of claim 1, said control device including a rod extending through said tubular tension bar and being resiliently urged in one direction.

4. In the combination of claim 1, said control device comprising a switch structure consisting of a fixed contact, a movable contact slidably mounted on a rod lying on the axis of said tubular tension bar, and means for resiliently urging said rod towards that fixed contact.

5. In the combination of claim 1, said control device comprising a switch consisting of a fixed contact and a movable contact resiliently urged into contact therewith.

6. In the combination of claim 1, said control device comprising a spring loaded switch.

References Cited in the file of thi patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 960,913 Heaniy June 7, 1910 1,106,899 Staples Aug. 11, 1914 2,294,634 Scott et al. Sept. 1, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 349,202 Great Britain May 28, 1931 653,919 Germany Dec. 6, 1937 

